NewsPolk County

Actions

Memorial Service to be held for Lake Wales K-9 officer killed on duty

K9 Team Joyner Max.png
Posted at 9:31 PM, Aug 08, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-09 08:45:29-04

LAKE WALES, Fla. — A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, August 9, for a Lake Wales K-9 officer shot and killed on duty.

K-9 Officer Max was killed August 3after he and his partner, Officer Joyner, responded to a domestic violence incident. According to Police Chief Chris Velasquez, Max and Officer Joyner chased the suspect into the woods where Max bit him in the leg. The suspect shot and killed Max with a stolen gun.

Max was a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois and his partner, Officer Joyner, has been with LWPD for 11 years.

The Lake Wales Police Department, their families, and the community will gather to honor Officer Max and bid him a final goodbye. The service will be held at HighPoint Church in Lake Wales at 10 a.m. For those who cannot attend, the service will stream live on ABC Action News Plus.

RELATED: Suspect shot dead after shooting, killing Lake Wales Police K-9